John Quincy Adams

Publisher's Summary

John Quincy Adams was the last of his kind - a Puritan from the age of the Founders who despised party and compromise yet dedicated himself to politics and government. The son of John Adams, he was a brilliant ambassador and secretary of state, a frustrated president at a historic turning point in American politics, and a dedicated congressman who literally died in office - at the age of 80, in the House of Representatives, in the midst of an impassioned political debate. In John Quincy Adams, scholar and journalist James Traub draws on Adams' diary, letters, and writings to evoke a diplomat and president whose ideas remain with us today. Adams was a fierce nationalist who, as secretary of state, championed the idea of American expansion. Yet at the same time, he warned against moralistic and militaristic policies abroad - a chastening wisdom that makes him the father of what we now call "realism" in foreign policy. As president he was a bold proponent of the idea of activist government later brought to fruition by Abraham Lincoln and others. Adams' numerous achievements - and equally numerous failures - stand as testaments to his unwavering moral convictions. A man who refused to take refuge in the politically prudent course of action, Adams was repudiated by his own Federalist party and, as president, by the nation that voted him out of office. And yet, in the final decade of his life, Adams regained the country's regard, and even reverence, for as a congressman he often stood alone against the forces of slavery, twice beating back motions of censure. John Quincy Adams tells the story of this brilliant, flinty, and unyielding man whose life exemplified political courage - a life against which each of us might measure our own.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful

Where does John Quincy Adams rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of my favourites. informative and enlightening and one I would highly recommend to anyone interested not only in US history but history and biography in general.

What other book might you compare John Quincy Adams to, and why?

American Lion by Jon Meacham. it takes the listener behind the stereotype of John Quincy Adams which is that of a failed one term president and unlikable curmudgeon. The listener might not learn to love Adams but they will hopefully come away with an appreciation of his talents and his many overlooked virtues

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Hard to choose one episode but I really enjoyed the description of Adams role in the Amistad case.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

You feel for Adams in sheer misery he endured during the presidency. And the death of his children and the suffering he endured as a result was something I had not previously known much about.